Chapter 6
Lane couldn’t believe his luck that Cassie’s boss had sided with him. Now, instead of being pushy, he was simply doing the job. Protecting her.
Of course, that meant surviving his vivid imagination while she showered in the bathroom they would now share. Out on the beach, her swimwear had showcased her body to perfection, leaving Lane craving more. He coveted the details. He wanted all her secrets, personally and intimately. And he was willing to share his secrets with her.
Best to keep all that lust and desire locked down until she trusted him. He hadn’t exactly lied about crashing with one of his pals, but he had no intention of leaving her alone here or anywhere else. Not after the ambush.
He respected her independence. Found it damned attractive. Under any other circumstances, he’d honor it. But he’d promised her boss that he’d keep her safe. If Lane knew anything, it was how to keep a vow, big or small.
This particular promise felt nearly as big as the oath he’d given his country way back in his twenties. Nearly as right as the words he’d recited on that day.
He knew better than to second guess his instincts. What started as a flirtation had become important. He didn’t understand it entirely. Couldn’t explain it any better. He didn’t even care that it didn’t make sense to feel this obligation to a woman he barely knew.
When listening to the shower became too overwhelming, he distracted himself and checked in with Hawk first, then Waylen, bringing them up to speed. Hawk wasn’t exactly thrilled that he’d left a body out there on the zipline trail. Lane endured the dressing down and promised to cooperate with police when the time came.
Waylen wasn’t much more understanding. “What the hell were you thinking?” he demanded. “The cops might charge you for leaving that scene.”
“Y’know, Cassie’s boss didn’t give her as much crap as you’re dishing out,” Lane said. “We had to protect the kidnap victim.”
“Her boss probably looked at your record and counted the fact that you called it in at all as progress.”
“Shut up.” They both knew he’d been good at his job. “What did you learn about this Greenlee guy? Any connections here in Hawaii?”
Waylen swore under his breath. “He arrived, alone, two days ago. Commercial flight. Give me some time with it.”
Lane knew better than to push too hard. No one liked a nag. And no disrespect to Cassie’s agency, but he’d put his money on Waylen. “Our next stop is the hospital. Did you get a read on her partner?”
“Not much to read,” Waylen replied. “He passed out a couple of times on the ride over. He didn’t have the energy for a chat. At the ER, the nurse took one look at him and rushed him back for treatment. I’m not sure what you think you’ll get out of him.”
That was the thing about his friends—they knew him well. “We’re gonna try anyway.”
“We?” Waylen moved on before Lane had to come up with an answer. “Tread lightly,” he warned. “It’s obvious she cares about her partner.”
A credit to Cassie, in Lane’s opinion. But they needed answers and he didn’t share her confidence in Drake’s innocence. Not yet, anyway. Someone wanted her out of the way for some reason and right now, Drake was the only player with a clear motive.
“Maybe she more than cares,” Waylen suggested.
Lane bit back the instant denial that would give his friend too much information. “Could be,” he said as if Cassie’s romantic inclinations were of no importance.
Waylen busted out laughing. “You’ve got it bad for a woman you just met.”
“Could be,” he repeated. Why argue? He heard the taps shut off in the bathroom. “Gotta run. Let me know what you find.”
He ended the call before Waylen could land another verbal jab.
Cassie emerged a few minutes later, dressed in loose pants and a t-shirt sporting the logo for a popular surfboard company. The neckline had been shaped to show her cleavage to the best advantage. Lane loved Hawaii more and more.
Her dark hair was damp, parted in the middle and pushed back from her face, curling as it cascaded past her shoulders. His fingers tingled, desperate to touch those silky waves.
“Give me five minutes.” He started past her, breathing in the warm scent of her skin. He wanted a taste, one little kiss, so damn bad. Timing, he reminded himself ruthlessly. Pushing her would only set him back from the end goal of winning her over.
“Lane.” She stopped him with a gentle touch to his arm.
He froze, trapped by the lust pulsing through his system. In her eyes, he saw what might be an echo of the need he felt. Timing. She needed to see her partner and he intended to get her through that visit safely. “You can’t go alone.” He managed to squeeze out the words through a throat gone dry. “Five minutes.”
“Mm.” She didn’t remove her hand. “Okay.” Her head bowed, her gaze on the place where they touched.
He couldn’t be expected to break the sweet contact. That was asking too much. The craving for her thundered in his chest. He was lost to her. “Cassie?”
She looked up, a soft smile teasing those lush, rosy lips. “I’ll wait.”
He was ready now. Ready to devour her. But she was clean and fresh while he felt grimy from their trek through the rainforest. When they kissed—and he prayed he wouldn’t have to wait much longer—he wanted it to be memorable for all the right reasons.
At last, she released him. His entire being demanded that he follow her, but he forced himself toward the shower instead.
He hustled, more than a little concerned she’d take off without him anyway. Trust was a two-way street and he had to extend a little if he hoped to gain any from her. He felt a surge of relief when he came out of the bathroom to find her curled up in the chair near the glass door. She’d braided her wet hair back from her face.
He had two minutes left and he didn’t waste them, grabbing his clothes and stepping out of sight to dress. After running his hands through his hair, he moved to the closet and slipped on a pair of deck shoes.
“Ready?” She looked up from her cell phone, her face somber, her skin pale. He’d expected her to be pacing by the door, impatient to get moving. “Is there a problem?”
Frowning, she held out her phone. “Take a look.”
He crossed the room, a frisson of dread prickling along his skin. Ignoring the device in her hand, he sat down on the edge of the bed. “Tell me.”
“Claudia sent me an image from the CCTV here at the resort.” She put the phone down firmly on the table. “Drake and Greenlee.” She swore. “They were alone, back near the kitchens. Night before last.” Her eyes were brimming with tears. “It can’t be what it looks like, can it?”
Though he hadn’t seen the photo, he was afraid it was exactly what it looked like. “Did Claudia give you any context?”
“Not yet.” Cassie tucked her arms around her middle. “And what context is there? Greenlee’s dead. Drake can say whatever he wants about the meeting. Who’s left to confirm the truth?”
“He can’t possibly know Greenlee’s dead.”
A flicker of hope lit up her gaze. “Good point. We need a strategy.”
“What happened to all your confidence in your partner’s integrity?” He didn’t know why he was defending the man now, when he’d been the number-one skeptic earlier.
She pointed at the phone. “The picture. If it wasn’t real, Claudia wouldn’t have sent it.”
“Would you forward it to Waylen? Please?”
She shoved herself up and out of the chair. “I don’t need more of the ‘your team’s better than mine’ routine.”
He watched her walk toward the door and back again. She made a couple of trips before he realized she was still barefoot. Her feet were adorable, her toenails painted in a shimmering aqua color. “I have a better idea,” he declared.
Pausing, she studied him. “I’m all ears.”
“Let’s go to the hospital and see your friend.” He held up a hand when she started to interrupt. “No questions, just a simple welfare check. Then we’ll swing by a bar I know and grab a beer.” Standing, he closed the distance, making himself available in case she wanted to touch him again. “After that, we’ll come back here, get some rest, and plan our next move.”
“Lane.” Her eyes were wide and lovely, despite the dark circles underneath.
“You need rest. Time to recover. Just getting to Drake’s room at this hour will be a challenge. Let’s save the interrogation for tomorrow.”
She sighed. “Odds are good you and I will be on the hot seat tomorrow for leaving Greenlee out there.”
“We can burn down that bridge tomorrow.” Why wouldn’t she touch him? He was right here, well within reach. “What do you say?”
Her chin bobbed in the affirmative. “It’s a good plan.” At last she reached out, squeezed his hand. “Thanks, Lane.”
Timing and patience.He expected more resistance from her before they returned to the room, but this was good progress. While she slipped on a pair of canvas shoes, he grabbed the keys to the vehicle he’d borrowed from Hawk and they headed out.
Outside the air felt thick and smelled worse from the ash cloud hovering over the island. He glanced up, sad to see the glittering stars of previous nights blotted out. When they reached the borrowed Jeep, he opened the door for her. “My favorite ops were at night,” he said, overcome with a sudden nostalgia for his career.
Being a SEAL had been damned hard work most days. In some ways, the easiest part was being the tip of the spear, out there executing orders with precision. Lane preferred doing a task over making the decisions and tough calls. Yes, operations were demanding, often with complex terrain to overcome in addition to the mission objective. But as a SEAL, once he had those orders, he knew his role. His purpose was clear.
As a team, they had a goal and they worked to achieve it.
Now, retired, he lacked that intense focus. Although he enjoyed all the traveling and downtime, part of him was getting antsy about the next step. He couldn’t see it clearly. That sense of the unknown was disconcerting for a man who’d been told where to train, where to live, and where to work for the past couple of decades.
“Night vision goggles are that much fun?”
He laughed. “They are pretty cool,” he agreed as he buckled into the driver’s seat. “I was just thinking about those moments, before or after the action, when I’d look up into a sea of stars.”
“That must’ve been action in remote places.”
“Absolutely.” He grinned. “I loved being reminded how big the world is.” He pulled away from the resort. “Stars are brighter out here. Usually.”
“Usually,” she agreed, bracing an elbow on the open edge of the windowless door. “My dad taught me about the constellations. It’s corny, I know, but I’m always a little lonely when I can’t spot the North Star.”
“Where did he teach you?” Lane would tread lightly, but he wouldn’t miss this chance to learn more while she was in a mood to share.
“Iowa.” Her voice sounded as wistful as he felt. “Middle of nowhere farm country. Lots of stars. Growing up, our weather warnings were mostly for blizzards and ice,” she said. “With decent lead time to prepare. Never thought I’d miss blizzards and ice.”
He waited, expecting her to ask about his hometown. Should’ve known she was too distracted. Or maybe he really was wasting his time and she wasn’t interested. Glancing over, he caught her staring at him. Was he imagining the curiosity and the heat in her gaze?
“You can ask me anything,” he offered. “For you, I’m an open book.”
He heard a soft snort. “For a woman, you mean.”
“No.” Although he enjoyed women, he didn’t enjoy opening up with women. Or anyone else for that matter. “For you.” He stopped for the traffic light and smiled at her. “Don’t ask me to explain it. So far, I can’t figure it out.” He shrugged. “Aside from the obvious.”
“The obvious?”
“You’re special, Cassie.”
She looked away and, unfortunately, didn’t ask him anything. He honored the silence, despite his urge to share every damn secret he had with her. He chalked it up to stress. More than the search for Josie, there seemed to be an energy simmering up from the island itself. A generalized anxiety pressed in on them from every angle and it only intensified as they approached the hospital.
She didn’t speak again until they were walking inside the facility.
At the information desk staffed by two security guards, they were warned visiting hours were over. Linking her hand with his, Cassie pleaded, telling the guards she was Drake’s sister and had just learned that he’d been admitted. Lane was impressed with both the tactic and the convincing delivery.
Armed with Drake’s room number and a warning not to stay long, they hurried down the hall to the elevators.
“Nicely done,” he said when they were alone. He didn’t point out that she could release his hand. He was enjoying the contact too much.
“Are you upset I lied? Disappointed?”
“Not a bit. Impressed. Sincerely,” he added when she gave him a doubtful side eye.
Her eyebrows flexed and she took a deep breath as the doors opened. “Check in only. Interrogation tomorrow,” she murmured.
Cassie was determined, and from what he’d seen, nearly unstoppable when she set her mind on a goal. He buried the grin. As much as he enjoyed getting acquainted, her mind was on the situation and the welfare of her partner.
She marched down the hall, pausing when they reached Drake’s room. The door was open slightly, and from what Lane could see, the room was dark. Quiet too, aside from the typical soft noises from medical equipment.
He gave her hand a squeeze. “Check in only,” he whispered at her ear.
Rolling her shoulders back, she eased inside. Her tight grip on his hand was the only clue that she was uncertain. Drake was alone, the other bed in the room was empty. Eyes closed, his breathing was slow and steady.
They’d cleaned him up and he had stitches from his eyebrow to his hairline, across his cheek, and along his jaw. Lane knew from experience that the bruises would take time to fade and scarring was inevitable.
Cassie released his hand and moved closer to her friend. Tenderly, she smoothed Drake’s hair back and gently kissed his forehead.
Suddenly, Drake reacted, throwing an arm up to protect himself. Lane surged forward, blocking Drake’s strike and pushing Cassie back, out of the way. “Easy, man,” he said in the most soothing tone he could manage. “Easy.”
“What the…” Drake’s voice trailed off when he saw Cassie. “Cass? Thought—” He cleared his throat. “Crap. I thought you were here to kill me.”
She wedged herself back in front of Lane, her hip snug against his thigh. “Me personally, or someone in general?”
To Lane’s shock, the man started crying. “Greenlee.” He swore, swiping at the tears rolling down his face. “It’s Greenlee. You have to get out of here, Cass. Go.”
She patted Drake’s shoulder. “Why would Greenlee be trying to kill you?”
Lane gave her points for composure. He was ready to get her as far away from Hawaii as possible. Anything to keep her safe.
“Go!” Drake’s monitors started beeping faster. He pleaded with Lane, “Thank your pals for saving me. Now get her out of here.”
“I need answers, Drake.”
A nurse hurried in, and seeing Cassie and Lane, she glared. “Visiting hours are over.”
“My brother?—”
“Needs his rest.” She clearly wouldn’t be swayed as easily as the guards downstairs. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Lane ushered Cassie out of the room, letting the nurse get Drake settled. “We checked on him,” he reminded her. “And you need rest too.”
“You promised me a beer first.”
He managed not to roll his eyes. “I did, yes. Come on.”
She rocked on her feet while they waited for the elevator. “I don’t want to leave him when he’s scared.”
He understood. Whatever her partner was up to, Lane didn’t think that reaction had been faked. “We can’t stay.” Her story would only hold up so long. “Tell your assistant or whoever to keep an eye on him.”
She chewed on her lip. Refused to get into the elevator when it arrived.
“I’ll toss you over my shoulder,” he threatened.
“Fine.” She stomped into the elevator.
“Greenlee can’t hurt him,” he reminded her. “Any accomplices will be searching for their missing hired gun. And we’ll be back in the morning.”
She rubbed her eyes. “Promise?”
Lane took a breath. He wouldn’t make a promise just to break it come daybreak. “Barring any more trouble, yes, I promise.”
“Thanks.” As soon as they exited the elevator, she started texting, her full attention on the messages she was firing off.
With one hand on the small of her back, he guided her out to the car. His mind was spinning with scenarios, none of them comforting. The incidents Cassie had told him about were disconcerting. Adding in the atypical kidnapping, the ambush, and her stolen laptop led him to one conclusion: she was in serious danger.
Lane needed the who and the why as soon as possible. He wanted Waylen’s take on this situation as much as Cassie wanted the opinion of her team. If he had any luck left, his friend would still be at the bar when they got there.